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Monday, May 30, 2016

Today, Memorial Day 2016, we remember those who gave their last full measure for the United States. Others, too, have given much through blood, sweat, tears, and maimed bodies to protect our Constitutionally guaranteed rights.

With that in mind, turn your attention to a little known law in Tennessee which appears to absolve someone of the crime of possessing a firearm with the intent to go armed, but only after the fact.

Huh?

See, here's the way it currently works in Tennessee. First, the Tennessee Constitution authorizes the Legislature to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime. Nothing else. Nada!

But - -
Legislatures and bureaucrats have historically ignored the state and federal constitutions.

A person shall not be charged with or convicted of a violation under this part if the person possessed, displayed or employed a handgun in justifiable self-defense or in justifiable defense of another during the commission of a crime in which that person or the other person defended was a victim.

So, a lady is deprived of her Constitutionally protected right to carry a defensive handgun on her person, but, if the handgun is used in justifiable self-defense, no prosecution. You might say, her rights are restored the morning after the event.

Yet the Republican super-majority in Tennessee can't get a Constitutional Carry bill out of committee to the floor, where the light of day would assure its passage. Then the only obstacle would be the governor, who has publicly stated that he will sign the bill if it comes to his desk:

The Republican legislative leadership can fix this problem next year if they refuse to stack committees with gun-grabbers.

Friday, May 27, 2016

At the NRA annual meetings last weekend, the NRA officially endorsed Donald Trump. This should come as no surprise to anyone following the Republican Party primary this year.

When you get right down to it, there are, like it or not, only two choices in this election: Trump or Clinton. My support in the primary was for Cruz, but this ugly thing called politics eliminated him.

The Republican Party made Trump. Huh? Yes, the GOP has given us the likes of droll Dole, lame McCain, and somni* Romney. People are apparently tired of the same old rubber stamping that the GOP has been giving to the Democrats, and have chosen Trump.

Trump is not perfect, but remember, you are not hiring your next pastor. So, either vote for him, or help Hillary.

With Hillary, you know what you are getting: Gun grabber, abortion advocate, leftist justices, etc.

With Trump, we know he was opposed to "Assault Weapons" in the past. But last year at NRA, I had the chance to ask him about national reciprocity. Here is that video:

Trump has, since then, released this POSITION PAPER on gun rights. Here is an excerpt from that paper:

NATIONAL RIGHT TO CARRY. The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway. That’s why I have a concealed carry permit and why tens of millions of Americans do too. That permit should be valid in all 50 states. A driver’s license works in every state, so it’s common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state. If we can do that for driving – which is a privilege, not a right – then surely we can do that for concealed carry, which is a right, not a privilege.

So who will you vote for, the person who says the Supreme Court was wrong in the Heller decision, and has never met a gun grab she didn't like, or someone who seems to now be genuinely in our camp.

You can't afford to sit on the sidelines this time.

In related news, the Louisville weekend crime rate dropped significantly while the NRA was in town. Check out Rob Morse's report over at Slow Facts.

On a personal note, it was great spending time with my son Jon at the NRA; and reconnecting with fellow travelers.

*somni - as in asleep, specifically, Romney was asleep when he debated Obama.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

No, as I said in my interview yesterday with WBIR' Leslie Ackerson concerning Campus Carry by full time faculty and staff:

When we have an active shooter, who are you going to call? Somebody with a gun. The advantage of campus-carry is hopefully someone with a gun will be 10 seconds away instead of 10 minutes.

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From the legislature's web site:This bill adds a ninth exemption . . . for full-time employees of public higher education institutions who have a handgun permit and are carrying a handgun only on property owned, operated, or in use by the institution employing the employee.

You will need to read the amendments to get the full meaning of the bill.

One might ask if this bill relegates qualified adjunct faculty to second-class status. Next year, I believe the legislature should look at including them, and also qualified adult students.